Outlaw F-650

This Bad Boy Rules the Road

Any way you look at it--and you're usually looking up--this truck is one impressive ride. Even in stone-stock format, the Ford F-650 is born to be bad. With enough beefy specs to handle any towing or off-road chore, the F-650 was created with one thought: Build a truck to handle any job thrown its way.

Born and bred to serve as a medium-duty work truck, the Ford F-650 is outfitted with enough brawny mechanicals to shame any 1/2-ton truck owner. Ford offers the F-650 with three diesel engine choices, 16 different horsepower ratings, 15 available transmissions, and 10 available rear axles. The truck is offered in a full-body Pro Loader configuration, or can be ordered with a straight frame. Air suspension options range from 12,000 to 23,000 pounds using either air or hydraulic brakes. Several Allison transmissions are also available.

Additional equipment on the F-650 includes dual batteries, five roof-clearance lights, a 1,950-watt alternator, a front-end, tilting fiberglass hood and fender assembly, a 45-gallon fuel tank, and much more. Naturally, it's a given that the Ford F-650 is one beefy rig, but what happens when the aftermarket gets hold of one of these beasts? Well, in the case of the feature vehicle you see here, the aftermarket has applied its wizardry with impressive results. The company responsible for the upgrades, Outlaw Offroad, is no stranger to the modification process and did its homework when creating this masterpiece of diesel performance. Created to bring attention to the Outlaw Offroad shop, located in Irvine, California, the '04 F-650 has attended a large number of shows and off-road events during the past 1 1/2 years since it was finished.

Outlaw Offroad ordered the truck with the Caterpillar 7.2L diesel powerplant mated to an Allison six-speed transmission, which pumps out 300 hp and a stump-pulling 860 lb-ft of torque. Although this powerplant is pumped up as is, Outlaw Offroad wanted to add a few additional ponies and torque, and to that end, bolted up one of Rolling Big Power's (RBP) exhaust systems into place. The polished stainless-steel, turbo-back exhaust system went a long way to bring more power to the big Ford, and it added a healthier exhaust tone to the mix.

The kissing-the-clouds suspension lift was achieved with the use of an impressive system consisting of Deaver springs and King 4.0 shocks; the custom suspension also includes a transmission cradle to nestle the gears in style. The total lift on the in-your-face Ford is 12 inches. Alcoa 22-1/2-inch wheels are wrapped by Goodyear rubber, and a set of Kodiak steps help driver and passengers up into the cab.

Up front, a set of Acro HID lights provide extra style and seeing power, and much of the Ford's shining silver paint is protected by Star Shield Armor. Star Shield is an invisible bra made up of 3M film that is applied to the most vulnerable areas of the vehicle to resist chips and scratches. Climb up into the cab, and you're greeted by more stylish goodies and a first-class entertainment system. There's a custom wood-grain dash, but more impressive is the Kenwood stereo/DVD system and the five Icon TV screens.

This F-650 seemingly has it all: high altitude, a torquey powerplant, a stylish exterior, and first-class entertainment. As we said before, in stock format, this Ford has been built to impress, but when the aftermarket takes over, the F-650 is pushed to new heights. Choosing one of the two cover vehicles to grace the front of this issue of Diesel Power was definitely an easy task when we first laid eyes on Outlaw Offroad's big Ford. We'll be keeping an eye on this shop to see what future trucks roll out of its doors.